Violin holder and harness



Nov. 20, 1951 M. E. JOHNSON vIoLiN HOLDER AND HARNESS Filed Feb. 2, 1950 Fig.3.

Marcus E Johnson IN V EN TOR.

B Y EM? Patented Nov. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATNT OFFICE VIOLIN HOLDER AND HARNESS MarcusE. Johnson, Amidon, N. Dak. Application February 2, 1950, Serial No. 141,974

with chin rests and the violin is therefore held with the butt or tail end between the chin and shoulder of the player in a familiar manner. Some players find it necessary to use shoulder cushions in addition to a chin rest. Of course, there are those players who use neither pads nor chin rests. While it is, of course, true that violinists may become accustomed to holding a violin to best advantage without chin rests and other accessories, itis believed that if the beginner would start out with a mechanical holding and harnessing device, he would not only learn to play the instrument more quickly and with greater comfort but would perhaps find it advisable, having learned to play with holding and harnessing means, to continue to use the latter indefinitely. I

It will be evident from the foregoing that the instant invention has to dowith a holder which is fastened to the median portion of the violin and a harness which is attached to the holder and coacts with the latter and violin in maintaining the instrument in a readily and satisfactorily usable playing position.

In reducing to practice a preferred embodiment of the invention, the structural adaptation is characterized by two units, a saddle which clamps on the violin and constitutes the holder proper and an adapter which fastens to the holder and constitutes the harness.

The saddle-like holder comprises a truss which transversely spans the back of the violin and which has clamps or grips at its opposite ends which are neatly nested into the usual constriction notches opposite the customary ff holes.

The harness has to do with an appropriately shaped reach arm or member fastened at one end to the intermediate portion of the truss and having a collar at its opposite end to embrace the neck of the user.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a violin in dotted or phantom lines and showing. in full '3 oiaims. (o1. B l-+289) lines, the complete attachment, that is, the holder and harness combined.

' Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the overall attachment removed from the violin.

"Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-section on the vertical line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing numerals and lead lines, the violin, which is shown in dotted lines and is conventional, is denoted by the numeral 4. The permanently attachable part of the attachment is a saddle-like device or unit and this is denoted by the numeral 8. As before indicated, it comprises a properly bowed metal strap 8 which underlies the back of the violin body. It conforms in shape and is of sp-ringy metal and is provided at opposite ends with a pair of arcuate adapters ill and [2. These are duplicates of one another and have appropriate facing and protector pads I i-l4. The pads are adapted to contact the finish of the violin body to prevent marring or scratching same. These adapters are obviously designed to snugly lodge themselves in the constrictor notches which are usually found between the forward and rearward half portions of the body or, let us say, opposite to the usual ff holes (not shown). The other component of the complete attachment means is denoted by the numeral l6 and this comprises an elongated reach rod or arm 18 having its intermediate portion properly offset and bowed, as at 2B, and its rearward end portion properly toed-in and bent up (see Figure 2) as at 22, where it is provided with a semi-circular collar which might well also be called an adapter. It is perhaps advisable, however, to call it a neck collar, since it is designed to fit around and hang itself upon ones neck. The stated collar is denoted by the numeral 24 and is of appropriate curvature and material and is rigidly connected to the reach arm. The forward end of the arm is properly bent to underlie the mid-portion of the back of the violin and this terminates in a flattened apertured ear 24. This ear is adapted to accommodate the shank portion 26 of a bolt, which shank is provided with an assembling and retaining nut 28. The head portion of the bolt 30 is interposed between the saddling strap 8 and body of the violin. The part 8 may of course be referred to as either a saddling strap, truss, or equivalent element. It follows that suitable holding means 6 is saddled on the violin and forms a part thereof. It is not too tight nor too heavy to interfere with the resonance or other tonal properties of the violin. As a general rule,

the harness unit I6 is also left in place and is attached to the violin by way of the saddling means. From time to time, if desired, the means l6 may be detached from the means 6. In any event, the gist of the invention is in having harnessing means which is hung from the neck of the user and which includes a reach arm, said reach arm being fastened, preferably by the means 6 to the mid-portion of the violin. It follows, therefore, that, the-violin'may be aptly and suitablyheld without aid or support of the hands of the user. This means that the left hand may he slid back and forth on the neck and finger board without being hampered. It is obvious;

that sincerit is not necessary to support the instrument while playing, the hand has greater freedom in resorting to unhampered fingering activities.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is. b e li eved that a clear understanding of thev device will be quite apparent to-thoseskilled in this aria Amore detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the, invention, the same is ;susceptible to certain changes fully-comprehended by the; spirit of the invention as herein described and within the'scope of the appended la ms; 7

Having described the invention, what is claimed asiilfiwi 11 A; violinholder-of the class described comprising; a holder separably applicable, to the median; portion of a-violin, said holder embodying a; transverse truss member, and harnessing means, saidmeans embodying a rigid elongated reach arm adapted to oartially underlie the violiniwith one end. portion projecting beyond the butt end of the violin, an arcuately shaped adapter collar adaptedxto, be conformingly fitted and hung about the necklof theviolinist, said col-' ljarbeing secured atone end. to the adjacent end ofqsaid reach rod, and bolt means separably and hingedly connecting the first-named-end of said reach rod tosaid truss member..-

2. In a structure of the class described, a saddle-like holder comprising a truss having adapters at opposite ends, said truss being adapted to extend transversely across the back of the violin body and said adapters being adapted to be nested retentively in the usual notched marginal portions of the body, and said adapters being conformably curved and sized to fit in said notches and bein provided with protective covering means, an elongated reach arm adapted to underlie the back of the violin body, means removably attaching one end of said reach arm to the intermediate portion of said truss, and means connectedtothe opposite end of said reach arm and adapted to be fitted and saddled about the neck of the violinist.

3. In, a structure, of the class described, a saddle-like holder comprising a truss having adapters atopposite ends, said truss being adapted to extend transversely across the back of the violin body zand said adapters-being;adapted to benestdE 'fitentively in the usual notched marginal porticns of. the body,: and ,said adapters being conformably curved and .sizedgto fit in said notches and; being; provided, with protective covering means. an;;elongated reach arm having its out Ward end portion, underlying the backof said violin, boltand-gnut-means securing. said outer end hin edly and detachablyto the intermediate portion of said truss, and a curvate, collar having oneend secured; to the inwardyend'of said reach mflni aidswuarrbeingzat approximaterightansles to -theflongitudinal;axis; out said; reach arm and in ad pted; qilbe; fitted ab out the neck of the iol nis MARCUS, E; JOHNSON;

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file. of. this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date a 114,235,. Germany v Nov. 5, 1900 142,816,; Germany r Aug. 4, 1903 

